Orange-chinned Parakeet

Brotogeris jugularis

Orange-chinned Parakeet - Mundo Nuevo, Minca, Magdalena, Colombia

Quick Facts

  • Scientific Name: Brotogeris jugularis
  • Spanish Name: Periquito bronceado
  • Family: Psittacidae
  • Known Nicknames: Tovi Parakeet, Beebee Parrot
  • Average Length: 17.5–18 cm / 6.9–7.1 in
  • Average Weight: 54–65 g / 1.9–2.3 oz
  • Wingspan: 30–35 cm / 11.8–13.8 in
  • Key Feature: Small orange triangular patch on the chin and bronze-brown shoulder feathers
  • Primary Diet: Primarily Frugivore and Granivore (Fruits, seeds, flowers, and nectar)
  • Range: Southwestern Mexico through Central America to Northern Colombia and Northern Venezuela
  • Habitat: Lowland tropical forests, open woodlands, scrublands, and urban parks
  • Social Structure: Highly Social (Found in pairs or noisy flocks of up to 30 individuals)
  • Nesting/Breeding: Tree cavities or excavated holes in arboreal termite mounds
  • Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC)
  • Population Trend: Stable

The Orange-chinned Parakeet (*Brotogeris jugularis*), affectionately known as the "Tovi Parakeet," is a small, charismatic parrot native to the lush tropical woodlands stretching from Mexico to Colombia. Adorned in a vibrant lime-green plumage, this bird is most easily identified by the brilliant triangular patch of bright orange feathers located just beneath its beak and its distinctive bronze-brown shoulder patches. Beyond its colorful appearance, which includes subtle blue highlights on its flight feathers, this parakeet is renowned for its highly social and boisterous personality, often seen traveling in large, energetic flocks that navigate the canopy with a unique, whirring flight sound. Remarkably intelligent and agile, these neotropical birds use their nimble beaks and feet with impressive dexterity to forage for nectar, fruit, and seeds, making them a lively and essential part of their forest ecosystems.

Fun Facts

These social birds are famous for their "buddy system," frequently flying so close to their mates that their wings nearly touch in mid-air. They possess a unique nesting habit of hollowing out active arboreal termite mounds, utilizing the insects' architecture to create a secure, temperature-regulated nursery for their chicks. Despite their diminutive size, they are remarkably feisty and will boldly chase away much larger species from preferred feeding sites. Often called "Bee Bee" parrots due to their continuous, high-pitched chatter, their signature orange chin patch is surprisingly elusive, typically appearing only when they stretch their necks or tilt their heads during social displays.

Habitats & Distribution

This species is native to a broad range stretching from southwestern Mexico through Central America into northern South America, specifically northern Colombia and western Venezuela. It is primarily found in Pacific lowlands and Caribbean slopes, thriving across various tropical and subtropical regions.

It inhabits a variety of open and semi-open environments, including deciduous forests, scrublands, savannas, and forest edges. This adaptable bird is also frequently observed in human-altered landscapes such as agricultural areas, coffee plantations, suburban parks, and gardens. It generally avoids the dense interior of humid evergreen forests, preferring areas with scattered trees where it can forage and nest.

Behaviours & Reproduction

These birds are intensely social, often congregating in large, noisy flocks that move together to forage for fruit and seeds. Within these groups, they maintain strong, long-term monogamous pair bonds, frequently engaging in allopreening to reinforce their social ties. They are highly communal, sharing sleeping roosts and using constant vocalizations to coordinate group movements and alert one another to potential threats.

Their reproductive strategy is particularly distinctive for their use of active arboreal termite mounds as nesting sites. By excavating a tunnel into the hard exterior of the mound, the pair creates a secure, temperature-regulated chamber for their eggs. The female typically lays a clutch of four to six eggs, which she incubates while being fed by the male. Both parents are dedicated to rearing the chicks, providing regurgitated food until the young fledge at around five to six weeks of age.

Diet

The Orange-chinned Parakeet maintains a diverse diet primarily consisting of various fruits, seeds, flowers, and nectar, often favoring the soft pulp of figs and guava. While they are largely frugivorous, these social birds also consume insects and larvae, particularly during the breeding season when higher protein intake is necessary for developing chicks. An intriguing aspect of their feeding behavior is their practice of geophagy, where they visit clay licks to consume mineral-rich soil that helps neutralize secondary compounds and toxins found in the seeds and unripe fruits they ingest. Additionally, they are known to be quite acrobatic while foraging, frequently hanging upside down to reach succulent blossoms or using their strong beaks to crack open hard seed casings, making them vital contributors to seed dispersal within their tropical forest habitats.

Colors

The Orange-chinned Parakeet is predominantly bright green, a coloration that provides effective camouflage against tropical foliage. It is named for the small, distinct patch of vibrant orange feathers located directly beneath its pale, horn-colored beak. Additional markings include bronze or yellowish-brown patches on the wing shoulders and subtle blue highlights on the primary flight feathers, all complemented by a thin, white ring of bare skin around the eyes.